2019 Mercedes Benz Glc 300: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2019 Mercedes Benz Glc 300
On the 2019 Mercedes Benz Glc 300, the failure owners report most often is other electrical problem, with 9 reports on file. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 50,000 miles. Overall it scores 81 out of 100, severe risk for a 2019.
Severe risk for a 2019 — 43rd riskiest of the 245 2019 vehicles we can rate. 64 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
The failures owners actually file about
Owners have reported 26 named failure modes on the 2019 Mercedes Benz Glc 300, and the three most-reported carry 33% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.
Other electrical problem leads with 9 reports and about 2.8 per 1,000 vehicles.
Other engine problem follows with 8 reports, median 70,000 miles.
Misfire or rough idle follows with 4 reports. 1 of those report mention a fire.
By system, the reports fall mostly into engine (17), electrical (12) and body (5).
The mileage the reports cluster at
8 of the reports on the 2019 Mercedes Benz Glc 300 came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 50,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 50% by 50,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed.
The busiest stretch is between 70,000 and 80,000 miles, which alone holds 38% of the dated reports.
50% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles, which is early enough that a fair number of these cars were still under a factory warranty when the owner complained.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 26. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
What happens when these parts fail
Across the named modes, 3 mention a crash, 5 a fire and 2 an injury. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 4.33, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other electrical problem at $250–$2,000, other engine problem at $300–$4,000, misfire or rough idle at $250–$1,600 and tail light, brake light or signal failure at $100–$900. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
36% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 9 | 0 | — | — | — | 2.8 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other engine problem | engine | 8 | 1 | — | 72k | — | 2.4 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Misfire or rough idle | engine | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 1.2 | $250–$1,600 | Moderate |
| Tail light, brake light or signal failure | lighting | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.9 | $100–$900 | Moderate |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.9 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Transmission will not engage a gear | transmission | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.6 | $1,500–$6,000 | Critical |
| Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure | electrical | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.6 | $700–$3,000 | High |
| Sunroof failure or glass breakage | body | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.6 | $700–$4,500 | High |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 2 | 1 | — | 62k | — | 0.6 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.6 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 2 | 2 | — | 14k | — | 0.6 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Engine bay fire | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $4,000–$20,000 | Critical |
| Excessive oil consumption | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $900–$6,500 | High |
| Stalling while driving | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| No-start or intermittent start failure | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $200–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Piston, ring or cylinder wall damage | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $3,000–$9,500 | Critical |
| Differential or transfer case failure | drivetrain | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $900–$4,200 | High |
| Wheel bearing or hub failure | drivetrain | 1 | 1 | — | 79k | — | 0.3 | $350–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure | electrical | 1 | 1 | — | 35k | — | 0.3 | $250–$1,500 | High |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $200–$900 | High |
| Lane keep or steering assist fault | adas | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $200–$1,600 | High |
| Cruise control failure | adas | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $200–$1,400 | High |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 1 | 1 | — | 10k | — | 0.3 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Other steering problem | steering | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Other driver assistance problem | adas | 1 | 1 | — | 76k | — | 0.3 | $250–$1,800 | High |
| Unclassified problem | other | 10 | 0 | — | — | — | 3.1 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2019 Mercedes Benz Glc 300 draws about 20 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 93rd percentile of complaint rates among 2019 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 3,270 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2019 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
Recalls on the 2019 model year
NHTSA has issued 12 recall campaigns covering the 2019 Mercedes Benz Glc 300, affecting an estimated 10,033 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover exterior lighting:headlights, structure:body:roof and pillars, electrical system:software and fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system:fuel rail. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
Recalls also distort complaint counts. Publicity about a campaign reminds owners that complaining is possible, so reports for a recalled component often spike after the recall rather than before it.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
15,502 vehicles 2024-02-02- Defect
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2019-2022 GLC 300, 2020 GLC 350e, and 2020-2022 AMG GLC 43 vehicles. The headlights may be incorrectly adjusted too high and create a glare for oncoming traffic. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
- Consequence
- Incorrectly aimed headlights can reduce the visibility of oncoming traffic, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the headlight adjustment and correct it if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 23, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
2,976 vehicles 2023-12-15- Defect
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2014-2020 C-Class, CLA, GLA, S-Class, GLC, and GLE vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle details. The front roof panel located between the windshield and the panoramic sunroof may not have been bonded correctly to the vehicle during a prior repair, allowing the front panel to detach from the vehicle.
- Consequence
- A detached roof panel can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the front panel, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 2, 2024. Owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, on, March 22,2024, and August 2, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 21V-197.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
242,722 vehicles 2022-05-20- Defect
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017-2022 CLA-Class, GLA-Class, GLE-Class, GLS-Class, SLC-Class, A-Class, AMG GT-Class, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, SL-Class, GLC-Class, CLS-Class, GLB-Class, and G-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. An error in the communication module's SIM card software can cause a mobile network connection failure, disabling the emergency call (eCall) system.
- Consequence
- A disabled eCall system would prevent a vehicle occupant from contacting the emergency services call center in an emergency, potentially delaying emergency responders and increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- The communication module software will be updated through an Over-the-Air (OTA) update or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 8, 2022. Owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, on July 8, 2022, May 17, 2024, July 29, 2024, and September 27, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's numbers are for this recall is 2022060005 and 2023110006.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL
139 vehicles 2021-12-13- Defect
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2019 AMG G63, C300, E300, G550, AMG GT63, AMG GT53, 2019-2020 A220, GLA250, GLC300, 2016 C300, 2020 AMG A35, AMG C43, AMG C63, CLA250, E350, E450, GLB250, GLE450, GLS450, GLS580, S560, and SL550 vehicles equipped with a gasoline engine. During the manufacturing process, particles may have been trapped between the fuel rail and injectors, which can cause a fuel leak.
- Consequence
- A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source, such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the fuel rail and fuel injectors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 22, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for the recall is 2022030003.
STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
15,096 vehicles 2021-03-19- Defect
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017-2020 C300 Coupe, C43 Coupe AMG, C43 AMG, 2015-2020 C300, GLA250, 2016-2018 C350e, CLA45 Coupe AMG, 2015 C400, S65 AMG, 2015-2019 C63 AMG, 2016 C450, 2015-2016 GLA45 AMG, S600, 2016-2020 GLC300, 2017-2019 GLC43 AMG, GLE43 Coupe AMG, 2014-2019 CLA250 Coupe, 2014-2015 CLA45 AMG, 2018 GLC63 AMG, 2014-2017 S550, 2018-2020 S450, 2016-2019 GLE63 Coupe AMG, 2016 GLE450 Coupe, 2014-2020 S63 AMG, 2018-2019 S560, and 2019 GLC350e vehicles equipped with a panoramic sunroof. The front roof panel located between the windshield…
- Consequence
- The adhesive bonding of the front panel might deteriorate, possibly causing the front panel to detach from the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Mercedes-Benz dealer will remove the bonded panel and will install a new front panel by following the detailed repair instructions and using the approved primer, cleaner and adhesive, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021 and October 26, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
COMMUNICATION
67 vehicles 2021-02-12- Defect
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017-2019 C300, E300, 2018-2020 CLA250, 2020 CLS450, AMG E53, AMG GT53, GLE450, 2018 AMG E63, AMG GTA, 2017-2020 GLA250, GLC300, 2019 GLC350, AMG GLC43, 2017-2018 GLE350, 2019 AMG GLC 43, GLC350, GLE400, 2017 GLS450, S550, C300 Cabrio, and 2018-2019 S560 vehicles. On June 18, 2021, an additional 9 vehicles were added, including certain 2021 GLA250, GLC300, 2018 S450, E400, and 2017 CLA250 vehicles. The communication module might have been inadvertently deactivated during a service visit, which could have disabled the…
- Consequence
- A disabled eCall system would prevent a vehicle occupant from contacting emergency services through the call center in an emergency, potentially delaying emergency responders and increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the communication module and activate it, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 31, 2021. Letters for the owners of the 9 additional vehicles were mailed July 9, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2021030005.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
1,292,258 vehicles 2021-02-05- Defect
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 - 2021 CLA-Class, GLA-Class, GLE-Class, GLS-Class, SLC-Class, A-Class, GT-Class, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, CLS-Class, SL-Class, B-Class, GLB-Class, GLC-Class, and G-Class vehicles. Please refer to the Part 573 report for specific vehicle model details. The software design of the communication module may fail to communicate the correct vehicle location for the emergency call system (eCall) in the event of a crash.
- Consequence
- Failure of the eCall system may result in emergency responders being dispatched to the wrong location, increasing the risk of injury following a crash.
- Remedy
- MBUSA will notify owners, and the communication module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. The recall began March 12, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-877-762-8267. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2021020025.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
10,041 vehicles 2019-12-20- Defect
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2019 GLC 300 4MATIC coupe, AMG GLC 43 Coupe, AMG GLC 43, AMG GLC 63, GLC 300, GLC 350e 4MATIC, GLC300 4MATIC, AMG GLC 63 Coupe, and AMG GLC 63 S Coupe vehicles. The passenger side sun visor may have incorrect air bag warning labels, written in a foreign language. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
- Consequence
- If an air bag label is in a foreign language, an occupant may not be aware of the risks to children sitting in the front seat, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
- Remedy
- MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air bag warnings and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 3, 2020. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2020020014.
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
3 vehicles 2019-11-18- Defect
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2019 GLC300 and GLC300 4MATIC vehicles. The electrical connection between the power steering electric motor and the control unit may fail, resulting in the loss of electric power steering assist.
- Consequence
- A loss of power steering assist would require a greater steering effort to control the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electric power steering control unit, free of charge. The recall began December 20, 2019. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2019110014.
SEAT BELTS
29,720 vehicles 2019-11-01- Defect
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2018 E400 Wagon 4MATIC, E400 4MATIC, E43 AMG 4MATIC, 2018-2019 E63S AMG 4MATIC Wagon, E63 AMG 4MATIC Wagon, E300, E300 4MATIC, GLC63S Coupe AMG 4MATIC, 2019 CLS450, CLS450 4MATIC, CLS53 AMG 4MATIC, E450 Wagon, E53 AMG 4MATIC, GLC300, GLC63 AMG Coupe 4MATIC, G550 4MATIC, G63 AMG, GLC300 Coupe 4MATIC, GLC300 4MATIC, GLC350e 4MATIC, GLC43 AMG Coupe 4MATIC, GLC43 AMG 4MATIC, GLC63 AMG 4MATIC, GT63 AMG four-door 4MATIC, and GT63S AMG four-door 4MATIC vehicles. Although correctly fastened, the front seat belts may be…
- Consequence
- The electric PRE-SAFE®-function and the seat belt pretensioners may not deploy during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seat belt buckles, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 13, 2020. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2020020017.
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
7 vehicles 2018-11-27- Defect
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2019 GLC300 vehicles. An internal sensor within the electric power steering unit may fail, deactivating the power steering assist.
- Consequence
- A loss of electric power steering assist can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering unit, free of charge. The recall began June 7, 2019. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA'S number for this recall is 2019040007.
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION
104,663 vehicles 2018-11-27- Defect
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2018 C300 Cabriolet, C300 Coupe, C300 4Matic Cabriolet, C300, C300 4Matic Coupe, C300 4Matic, C43 AMG Cabriolet, C43 AMG Coupe, C63 S AMG Cabriolet, C350e Plug-In Hybrid, C63 AMG Cabriolet, C63 AMG Coupe, C63 S AMG Coupe, C63 AMG, C63 S AMG, 2018-2019 GLC300 4Matic Coupe, GLC300, GLC63 AMG Coupe, GLC300 4Matic, GLC350e Plug-In Hybrid, GLC43 AMG Coupe, GLC43 AMG, GLC63 S AMG Coupe, and GLC63 AMG vehicles equipped with Audio 20 head units and automatic child seat recognition. The status of the passenger side air bag may…
- Consequence
- If the passenger air bag is incorrectly displayed as 'ON' when it is not, a front seat passenger may be unaware that the air bag will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
- Remedy
- MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will update the audio head unit software, free of charge. The recall began January 3, 2019. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2018120009.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2019 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
Better and worse years of the same car
Severe risk for a 2019 — 43rd riskiest of the 245 2019 vehicles we can rate. Every score on this site is a rank inside its own model year, which is what makes a 2004 and a 2019 comparable at all.
Across the 8 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2025 comes out best at 73 and 2023 worst at 85, with 2019 itself at 81.
If the model year is negotiable, 2025 scores lower than 2019 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 2018–2022 generation specifically, 2022 is the strongest year at 80 and 2018 the weakest at 84.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 2018-2022 generation, 2022 Mercedes Benz Glc 300 scores best at 80 and 2018 Mercedes Benz Glc 300 worst at 84.
What this page cannot tell you
64 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 64 reports, 8 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 13% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
Named failure modes come from matching phrases in the complaint text, so a badly worded complaint can land in the wrong bucket. The effect washes out across hundreds of reports and does not wash out across five.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2019 Mercedes Benz Glc 300?
The most-reported failures are other electrical problem (9 reports), other engine problem (8 reports, median 70,000 miles) and misfire or rough idle (4 reports). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
Is the 2019 Mercedes Benz Glc 300 reliable?
It scores 81 out of 100 on our risk index, which is severe — 43rd riskiest of the 245 2019 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2019 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Mercedes Benz Glc 300 is best?
Within the 2018–2022 generation, 2022 scores best at 80 out of 100 and 2018 worst at 84. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed